Ever since Trials launched as a browser game roughly 18 years ago, Finland based development studio RedLynx has continued to work alongside Ubisoft to elevate the popular motorcycle racing franchise to new heights. The last entry in the main series is titled Trials Fusion and was released in 2014 across PC, Xbox 360, Xbox One and PlayStation 4. While it ultimately received a fair share of criticism for that lack of tutorials within the creation mode, Fusion still garnered mostly favorable reviews from several publications and sold well over 1.7 million copies within the first year of release.
During Ubisoft’s E3 2018 press conference earlier this month, RedLynx and Ubisoft Kiev announced Trials Rising, the next major iteration in the series slated for an early 2019 release. Shortly afterward, I spent some hands-on time with the motorcycle platformer and walked away thoroughly impressed and eager for more. Below are some of my additional thoughts on the demo and a brief overview of what you can expect from the finished product.
Trials Rising is the sixth major installment in the main Trials series and allows players to build up their fame by successfully completing several grueling obstacle courses around notable various parts of the world. Some of these new locations include The Eiffel Tower, The Great Wall of China, Mount Everest and more. Fans can expect more than twice the number of tracks in Trials Fusion, a new multiplayer mode called Tandem Bike and community-driven customization options for outfits, bikes, and tracks.
The first portion of my demo consisted of me racing against other AI controlled players on the Eiffel Tower obstacle course. Having only played Fusion a few times in the past, I initially struggled throughout the session but started to improve as the course got more challenging towards the end. The track design was absolutely breathtaking and the complexity of making timed jumps and turns will definitely keep even the most skilled of players on his or her toes.
One common rule of thumb with a motorcycle platformer like this one is that you have to have patience, precision and a general understanding of how physics works in order to position yourself for the most success. Rising appeals to both veterans and new players alike with a learning curve that’s very reasonable from one track to another. Even if you do crash frequently, you’ll be either filled with laughter from watching the hilarious animations of your racer hitting the ground or be motivated to get back on your motorcycle and keep trying until you get to the finish line. This is by far the most entertaining aspect of this title and I guarantee that players will keep coming back for more.
After getting a feel for the single-player experience, it was time for me to see what Tandem Bike had to offer. I played with one of the developers and learned very quickly that communication and teamwork are the cornerstones of this mode. Both riders have to contribute the right amount of power, balance, and coordination to successfully complete each track. Much like I described above, comedy will ensue if you and your partner keep crashing and these moments never stop getting funny. Practice makes perfect and you learn a great deal by just taking your time to communicate and react accordingly. Eventually, we were able to finish the course as a unit and that feeling felt absolutely gratifying.
While my time with Trials Rising was short, I can confirm that I had a lot of fun and am looking forward to seeing how the game turns out when it hits stores early next year. It’s evident that RedLynx and Ubisoft Kiev are putting a great deal of blood, sweat, and energy into making this a standout entry. Both hardcore fans of the series and racing games, in general, are in for a treat. For more visuals from Trials Rising, please feel free to check out the additional screenshots included below.
Trials Rising launches worldwide in February 2019 for PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. A closed beta is expected to start sometime in late 2018 and you can register for it now right here. Did any of you enjoy Trials Fusion and plan on picking up Trials Rising early next year? Please feel free to let us know your thoughts on the upcoming game and more in the comments section below.
